Anaheim Ducks News
Gibson has had a tremendous start to 2019-20, going 2-0 while stopping 67 of the 69 shots (.971 SV%). The Ducks have given up plenty of chances but Gibson has stood tall so far. He will need to continue what he has started if the Ducks are going to have any success this season. Tonight he faces a Red Wings team that is also 2-0 to start the season and are being carried by a red-hot first-line.
Gibson stopped 32 of the 33 shots in the Ducks 2-1 win over the Coyotes on Thursday. Gibson will need to turn in performances like this on a nightly basis for the Ducks to be successful. The Sharks have had a terrible start to the season and Gibson was 2-0-1 with 2.96 GAA and .919 SV% against them last year.
Gibson started 57 games, going 26-22-8 with a 2.84 GAA and .917 SV%, the worst numbers since his rookie campaign. The Ducks did not do much to improve in front of Gibson this offseason, so it’s difficult to envision him returning to 30-plus wins. Tonight he faces a Coyotes team that went 1-0-2 with a 2.27 GAA, .936 SV% and one shutout against last season.
McGinn has settled in as a bottom-6 winger in Carolina, picking up 26 points (10G / 16A) in 82 games in 2018-19. With proven top-9 players like Ryan Dzingel and Erik Haula coming in this summer, McGinn will continue to be limited to a fourth-line role in 2020.
Gudas is heading into the final year of his four-year deal that carries a $3.35 million cap-hit, versus Niskanen’s two remaining years at $5.75 million. Gudas is coming off of one of his best offensive seasons, scoring four goals with 16 assists (20 points) in 77 games. Gudas was second on the Flyers in hits (255) and tied for third in blocked shots (133). He will help bolster the Capitals penalty-kill, where he played 2:37 per game last year—second among Flyers skaters.
Fabbri has been a healthy scratch since Game 5 of the Blues round-two win over the Stars, but will replace Robert Thomas in the lineup for Game 2 in Boston. Fabbri, who had just six points in the regular season, has just one goal in eight playoff games.
Dostal, 18, was a third-round pick (No.85 overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft and finished his season with Ilves Tampere in the Finnish Elite League at 4-4-2 with a 1.80 GAA and .920 SV% in 10 games.
Fabbri has been a healthy scratch for the first three games of the playoffs but will replace Zach Sanford on the fourth line. Sanford had an extremely quiet season, scoring two goals with four assists (six points) in 32 games.
Killorn was forced to leave Game 3 with an undisclosed injury but was on the ice for the morning skate and is officially listed as a game-time decision for Game 4. Killorn has one goal on six shots while averaging 12:13 TOI/gm through the first three games of the series.
Dumoulin missed the final two games of the regular seasons but skated again on Tuesday and will be a game-time decision on Wednesday. Dumoulin will likely replace Jack Johnson or Erik Gudbranson if he can play.
Gibson stopped 30 of 31 shots in the Ducks win in Edmonton last Saturday. Gibson started the year strong and is finishing strong, winning three in a row and seven of his last eight while posting a 2.50 GAA and .925 SV%. The Ducks did him no justice this season but Gibson has won at least 25 games in three straight seasons now and should be a top goalie target heading into 2019-20.